Netball · Most Improved
Netball Most Improved Award
A netball most improved award marks the player who made the biggest leap over the season. Netball is technical from the first session: footwork, the three-second rule, distance when defending and timing a drive into space all take time to learn. Spotting real improvement is easier than in many sports, and the award is a strong motivator for juniors and adult returners alike.
A few ways to make it yours
The designer
Design yours
Upload your club crest, type up to four lines and see it on the glass.
Simple pricing
End of season award prices: £8.99 small · £13.99 large
Mix sizes and designs freely. One delivery charge per order.
Minimum 5 awards. Delivery £10.00 per order.
Netball end of season awards: the skills that show progress
Footwork is often the first sign. A player who started the season being pulled up for stepping and now lands and pivots cleanly has made real progress. Defending at the right distance, rather than giving away contact and obstruction penalties, is another.
For shooters it might be a better percentage under pressure. For centre-court players it can be the timing of their drives and how well they hold space. Coaches can name these specific changes when they present the award, which means far more than a general well done.
Juniors moving up, adults coming back
Junior players stepping up from High 5 to the full seven-a-side game have a lot to learn at once: fixed positions, full-court play and stricter umpiring. The jump is a natural point for a most improved award in each age group.
Adult returners are another group worth recognising. Many clubs gain players through Back to Netball sessions, and someone who arrived having not played since school and ends the year in a league team has improved as much as anyone.
Deciding fairly
Most improved is usually the coach's decision. Compare the first few weeks of the season with the last, and talk to umpires or assistant coaches who watched the same games. Avoid letting a strong final month outweigh steady progress across the year.
Present it with care. It should never feel like a polite way of saying a player started badly. Focus on what they can now do, and the award becomes something to be proud of.
Umpires' calls can be a useful guide here. If a player who was regularly penalised early on now goes whole quarters without a whistle against them, that is clear progress the rest of the team will recognise too.
Wording and ordering
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER on line one, club name on line two, the player's name on line three and the team or age group with the season, such as U14 2025/26, on line four. Some clubs with a big junior section give one per team.
Small awards at £8.99 each suit this honour. Set up the logo once, then paste in the names for each age group. Sizes mix freely with Large at £13.99, the minimum order is five and delivery is a flat £10.00.
If you give more than one, MOST IMPROVED SHOOTER and MOST IMPROVED DEFENDER keep each award specific.
Good to know
Questions
Can we give a most improved award to every junior team?
Yes, and many clubs do. Design the award once with your logo, then add each winner with the same logo and change the team line. The bulk option lets you paste all the names in one go.
Is most improved suitable for a Back to Netball group?
It works well for returners, as progress is often obvious across a season. Print the group name on line four, for example Back to Netball, so it is clear which session the award belongs to.
What if two players are equally deserving?
Some coaches choose one and mention the other in their speech, while others give two awards. As each award is printed individually, adding a second with a different name is easy and the logo does not need uploading again.
When should we place the order?
Made in Cornwall and delivered within 7 days Order once the coaches have decided, ideally straight after the last league fixture, so the awards arrive in good time for the presentation evening.
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Ordering for the whole club?
Finish one design, then reuse the same crest with a new name. Or paste a list of names and add every award in one go. Whatever the number of awards, there is one delivery charge per order.
Ordering for a club